Stratus Unveils Edge Computing Strategy

Company addresses growing need of 90 percent of industrial users who want a simplified edge infrastructure with updated version of ftServer and preview of coming products

MAYNARD, Mass. and SANTA CLARA, Calif., — November 29, 2017 — With more than 90 percent of industrial companies wanting a simplified edge infrastructure that can be remotely managed, Stratus Technologies, a global leader in continuous availability solutions for mission-critical applications, today unveiled its edge computing product strategy and direction at IoT Tech Expo, taking place Nov. 29-30 in Santa Clara, Calif. This strategy includes the latest version of Stratus’ flagship product, ftServer, along with a preview of a converged edge system, which offers enhanced remote management services in a rugged and easy-to-deploy form factor. Ideal for users in industrial automation (IA) or in distributed enterprises deploying Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications, these products simplify the continuous availability and remote management of mission-critical edge applications, whether in the data center, on the plant floor or at the network edge, saving customers time and money.

By delivering a series of highly available edge compute solutions, Stratus addresses the growing need for more intelligent systems at the edge, as demonstrated by a new worldwide market report by ARC Advisory Group. In that study, 91 percent of IA users surveyed stated having better systems and connectivity at the edge will enable improved real-time decision making. Yet, more than 90 percent also indicated that, as edge computing grows, organizations will need a simplified edge infrastructure that can be remotely managed. To address this, Stratus has released version nine of ftServer, its intelligent, self-monitoring and self-diagnosing edge server. It will also introduce in 2018 a new family of multi-function, virtualized, converged edge systems, designed with OT end-user requirements in mind. The combination of ftServer and the forthcoming OT systems provides a comprehensive set of edge solutions ideal for customers deploying IA, IIoT or IoT applications. This set of edge solutions and Stratus’ overall vision for multi-tiered edge computing align with the outcomes of the ARC study in which OT end users confirmed that their IIoT deployments will be comprised of a mix of edge and cloud-based technologies. In fact, approximately 60 percent of survey respondents said they plan to take a hybrid approach by balancing future investments in the edge with smaller investments in the cloud.

Key Messages:

Stratus’ edge solutions begin with ftServer, the ideal system for digital transformation initiatives at distributed enterprises. An intelligent, self-monitoring, self-diagnosing, self-healing computer system, ftServer is best suited for remote hybrid deployments or customers within process manufacturing, where fault tolerance is business-critical. The latest version of ftServer brings VMware support along with better performance, enhanced availability and improved manageability. These improvements help customers and partners accelerate time-to-value, maximize revenues and increase efficiency.

Stratus’ new converged edge system, which can be deployed alone or in concert with ftServer, is currently being tested with key customers and partners, and is available for demonstration. Stratus will also be previewing a prototype of its forthcoming edge computing solution in booth #270 at IoT Tech Expo. Specific use cases that will be demonstrated include real-time analytics; and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) monitoring.

According the ARC Market Report, the demand for edge computing is real and growing. As more data-intensive compute workloads are pushed to the edge, real-time remote management and a simplified edge infrastructure are crucial for success. To learn more about the ARC Market Report, click here.

Quotes:

Dave Laurello, CEO, Stratus
“The more automated and connected applications become, the more critical it is for customers to have a highly reliable, continuously available and operationally simple edge infrastructure to drive true IIoT business value. Plant operators, in particular, don’t want to adopt, implement and manage complicated edge technology that requires specific expertise or talent. The more self-managing the infrastructure, the more desirable it is, reducing the need for dedicated resources at each plant. We listened to the needs of our IA and IIoT customers and partners across both discrete as well as continuous process manufacturing, and that’s exactly what we are delivering.”

Craig Resnick, analyst and vice president, ARC Advisory Group
“Operational issues such as improving asset performance management to improve both production as well as reduce unplanned downtime will drive end users to deploy edge computing. And, the companies who are quick to take advantage of self-managed, edge computing infrastructures will be better able to unlock the data that has long been stranded inside machines and processes. They’ll also be better able to quickly identify production inefficiencies, compare product quality against manufacturing conditions and pinpoint potential safety, production, or environmental issues. Remotely managing this edge infrastructure will immediately connect operators with off-site experts to more quickly resolve, or better yet avoid, downtime events. The benefit is freeing operations people and IT staff to perform their respective roles versus distracting them from their fields of expertise.”

Stratus takes the complexity out of keeping business critical applications running 24/7. Stratus’ technologies proactively prevent instances of unplanned downtime both in the data center and at the edge, and our services ensure any issues are addressed before customers need to. Global Fortune 500 companies and small medium sized businesses in a wide range of industries across the globe have been relying on Stratus for operationally simple, continuous availability for more than 35 years. For more information, please visit www.stratus.com or follow on Twitter @StratusAlwaysOn